Best of Arlington 2016

Food & Drink

Best New Restaurant

KapnosTaverna

With powerhouses like Graffiato and Kapnos under his belt in the District, chef-restaurateur Mike Isabella clearly understands the ingredients of success. At red-hot KapnosTaverna in Ballston they include a thoughtfully curated cocktail menu, a stunning three-tier seafood tower (the giant shrimp in lemon-honey vinaigrette are sublime), tantalizing spit-roasted proteins and a plethora of Greek-inspired mezze (small plates). You’d be content to make an entire meal out of the spreads alone, which are meant to be generously slathered onto warm, stone-baked flatbread. Among the highlights: whipped taramasalata (with carp roe and cauliflower); tyrokaftari (with smoked manouri and feta cheeses); melitzanosalata (smoky eggplant, roasted peppers, walnuts and feta cheese); and favosalata (yellow lentils, black garlic and scallions). More bread, please! –David Hagedorn